Line counter for typewriters



May 29, 1923,

1,457,248 K. R. JAHN LINE COUNTER FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Dec. 29, 1922 Patented May 29, 1923.

PATENT OFFICE.

UNlTED STATES .KONRAD RIGE JAKE, OF COPENHAGEN, DENMARK.

LINE COUNTER FOR TYPEWRITERS.

Application filed December 28, 1922. Serial No. 609,708.

To all whom it may concern Beit known thatI, KoNnAD Ruin JAiiN, Danish subject, residing at Niel Hemmingsensgade 1 6, Copenhagen. Denn'iark, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Line'Counters for Typewriters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to line counters for typewriters of the type wherein the linespacing rotary movement of the platen is automatically stopped when a predetermined number of lines have been typed.

The invention has for its object to provide a device of this character which is of simple construction and mounted in such manner that when not in use, it falls by gravity to an inoperative position permitting the typewriter to be used in the ordinary manner without registering or limiting the number of lines typed.

A further object is the provision of a device of this type having various series of numerals thereon adapted for use according to the'cvselected spacing of the typewritten matter, whetherit be single or otherwise spaced.

In the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred, embodiment of the invention is illustrated, the Figure'represents a fragmentary elevation of a typewriter carriage illustrating the invention applied to use, and showing the stop pin removed.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 1 indicates a part of a typewriter carriage rotatably supporting a shaft 3 on which the usual paper feeding platen 2 is mounted. At one end of the shaft 3 a gear wheel 4 is secured preferably having twentyeight teeth, the size of which is such that at each line-spacing turn of the platen 2, the gear wheel 4 is advanced one tooth.

A lever 67 is pivotally mounted at 8 in an upright bracket 5 carried by an adjacent part of the typewriter carriage 1 and rotatably supports at its lower end 6 a relatively large gear wheel 10, the latter being rotatably mounted at 9 and so arranged that as the lever 6-7 is swung in the direction of the shaft 3, that it is brought into mesh with the smaller gear wheel 4. The number of the teeth of the gear wheel-10 are preferably a multiple of the'number of teeth of the gear wheel 4. In the present instance, the large gear wheel 10 is provided with eighty-four teeth, three times as many as the teeth of the smaller gear wheel 4.

A contractile spring 11 is connected with the upper extremity 7 of the lever and its opposite end 12 is detachably engaged by afastening device 13 attached to the typewriter carriage 1. The tension of the spring 11, normally tends to swing the lower extremity 6 of the lever in the direction of the shaft 3 so as to bring the gear wheel 10 into mesh with the gear wheel 4.

A circular series of small openings 14 is provided in the wheel 10 adjacent the circumference thereof, an opening being arranged adjacent the base of each tooth of said wheel. Each opening 10 is identified by a numeral of a series of numerals designated at a, said numerals being suitably marked on the wheel 10 and ranging from 0 to 84. Each second opening 14 beginning at O, is identified by the numerals 1, 2. and 3 and so on, of a second series of numerals Z), while each third opening is identified by the numerals of a third series 0. A pin 15 is adapted for partial insertion in any one of the several openings 14 and is of such length that it projects laterally of the wheel 10 so as to engage the lever 6-7 and thus arrest the movement of the wheel 10 at a predetermined point.

When the device is not in use, the hook 112 is disengaged from the fastening device 13 and the wheel 10 and lower end of the lever 67 swing downwardly by gravity, thereby disengaging the wheel. 10 from the wheel 4. When in use, the lever 6-7 is moved to and maintained in operative po-. sition by the spring 11. In making a preliminary adjustment of the device, the wheel 10, subsequent to placing the writing sheet on the platen 2, is rotated by hand independently of the wheel 4 to the extent that the pin 15 previously inserted in the opening designated 0 contacts with the arm 6. The pin 15 is then removed from the opening 0 and is inserted in an opening-the number of which corresponds to the number of lines to be written. be single spaced, the pin 15 is inserted in the opening 14 identified by the numeral in the series a, corresponding to the number of lines to be written, whereas, if the lines are to be double or triple spaced, the series of numerals b or 0 are used. From the foregoing, it is evident that after the wheel If the lines are to 10 has moved into mesh with the gear Wheel 4: the movement of the latter gear Wheel, incident to the line spacing of the typewriting matten is transmitted to the gear Wheel 10 and the latter may be rotated to the ex:- tent of the predetermined number of lines to be typewritten, whereupon the pin 15 comes into contact With the lever 6-'Z and thus locks the platen against further movement.

hat I claim is:

The combination with a typewriter including a carriage and a shaft Supported platen rotatable in said carriage, of a gear Wheel carried by said shaft a lever pivotally mounted on said carriage, a gear Wheel ournaled in said lever and movable into mesh with the first mentioned gear Wheel and having a plurality of openings therein, a stop member selectively engageable in said openings and projected laterally of the second mentioned gear wheel adapted to engage said lever to arrest the rotary movement of the second mentioned gear Wheel at a predetermined point, means normally retaining the second mentioned gear Wheel in mesh with the first mentioned gear Wheel, and a plurality of series of opening identifying characters on the second mentioned gear wheel.

In testimony whereof I have atlixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

KOBTRAD RIGID JAHN. lVitnesses YOIEAN NIELSEN, l. JAHN. 

